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  1. Home
  2. Decorate

The 6 mistakes you're making with Command strips

Prevent pictures falling down or damaging your walls - by Rebecca Lowrey Boyd
  • 07 May 2018
The 6 mistakes you're making with Command strips
Christopher Burns on Unsplash

Command strips are a home decorator’s best friend. However, they require careful preparation and application. Here's what you're probably doing wrong.

1. You’re using them on rough surfaces

Command strips can only be applied to smooth surfaces. Avoid adhering them to brick walls, textured wallpaper, concrete or timber.

2. You don’t prepare the surface correctly

Strips work best on clean, smooth surfaces, so wipe the wall with isopropyl rubbing alcohol (methylated spirits) first. This will ensure your strip bonds properly with the wall. Avoid using other surface sprays or cleaning wipes, which may leave a slippery residue.

3. You rush the job

If you've just painted your walls, you need to be patient and wait at least a week until using the strips. 

How to use Command hooks | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
Getty images

4. You don’t press hard enough

The stronger you press, the better the strip will adhere to the wall. Make sure you press firmly along the whole strip, not just in one spot.

5. You disregard the weight guidelines

The weight restrictions are specified on each product, so carefully weigh your artwork or photo frame before choosing the correct strips.

6. You don’t pull down

If you pull the tab towards you, you risk damaging your wall. Pull down firmly on the tab towards the floor. Keep stretching it up to 40cm until the hook releases from the strip.

How to use Command hooks | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
Lefty Kasdaglis on Unsplash

This article originally appeared on Better Homes and Gardens.

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Rebecca Lowrey Boyd
Rebecca Lowrey Boyd
Rebecca Lowrey Boyd is a former magazine editor and the founder of Wee Birdy, one of The Sunday Times’ Top 50 Blogs in the World. A design nerd and bird enthusiast, she can usually be found poring over Pinterest, knee-deep in Bunnings or sticky-beaking at modernist homes in Sydney’s bushburbia.

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